The future of boxing in KwaZulu-Natal is “very bright” and credit to the province's promoters who stood firm in their effort to revive the fistic sport, says BSA provincial manager in KZN Mlungisi Dube.
“I was shocked the other day we [BSA] were doing round-ups of last year and it emerged that KwaZulu-Natal hosted more tournaments than any other province,” said Dube, whose province finished 2024 with its own ratings.
“We had 10 tournaments and I can tell you now if all goes according to plan, we will not only double that number but we will produce more provincial champions.
“We have about nine provincial champions and three female SA champions – Nomusa Ngema, Mapule Ngubane and Wendy Gcado. We lost one to Nosicaswe Dube on December 15. Three ABU champions were also produced in one tournament.”
Dube intends to convince promoters to pay attention to development. The province has 19 boxers who are yet to be given action since they turned professional.
“That is why we intend to close the door and open a small window on the graduation of amateur boxers to the professional ranks. That will help us pay attention to those that are there already, and it will also help us produce quality boxers who would have spent quality time in the amateurs,” he reasoned.
Dube – a former boxing trainer, manager and promoter – added: “A lot of groundwork was done last year. We were able to establish all the structures required by the SA Boxing Act – namely the Boxers Association chaired by Thema Zuma, ring official and Eric Khoza who is the chairman, Promoters Association, chairman Sandile Vilakazi and the Provincial Promoters Federation chaired by Hlula Dladla.
“They were properly elected during the AGM. We also have the highest compliment of female boxers which is 20. When we hosted the Women in Boxing tournament in December, only three bouts featured because they were for national titles. I want to thank all promoters and the provincial government for a unified effort to revive boxing in our province.”
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Dube happy with boxing potential in KZN
'We want to focus on development to produce more champs'
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The future of boxing in KwaZulu-Natal is “very bright” and credit to the province's promoters who stood firm in their effort to revive the fistic sport, says BSA provincial manager in KZN Mlungisi Dube.
“I was shocked the other day we [BSA] were doing round-ups of last year and it emerged that KwaZulu-Natal hosted more tournaments than any other province,” said Dube, whose province finished 2024 with its own ratings.
“We had 10 tournaments and I can tell you now if all goes according to plan, we will not only double that number but we will produce more provincial champions.
“We have about nine provincial champions and three female SA champions – Nomusa Ngema, Mapule Ngubane and Wendy Gcado. We lost one to Nosicaswe Dube on December 15. Three ABU champions were also produced in one tournament.”
Dube intends to convince promoters to pay attention to development. The province has 19 boxers who are yet to be given action since they turned professional.
“That is why we intend to close the door and open a small window on the graduation of amateur boxers to the professional ranks. That will help us pay attention to those that are there already, and it will also help us produce quality boxers who would have spent quality time in the amateurs,” he reasoned.
Dube – a former boxing trainer, manager and promoter – added: “A lot of groundwork was done last year. We were able to establish all the structures required by the SA Boxing Act – namely the Boxers Association chaired by Thema Zuma, ring official and Eric Khoza who is the chairman, Promoters Association, chairman Sandile Vilakazi and the Provincial Promoters Federation chaired by Hlula Dladla.
“They were properly elected during the AGM. We also have the highest compliment of female boxers which is 20. When we hosted the Women in Boxing tournament in December, only three bouts featured because they were for national titles. I want to thank all promoters and the provincial government for a unified effort to revive boxing in our province.”
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